South Sydney v Parramatta
Sydney Football Stadium
Saturday 16 August 7:30pm
2025 NRL INDIGENOUS ROUND – WEEK TWO
SOUTH SYDNEY SCORE BACK-TO-BACK WINS!
Get well soon, Andrew Moore.
As I drove back to the Barossa Valley from (athletics) coaching on Thursday evening, glued to my increasingly constant ‘app companion’ – the ABC listen app – Andrew’s Grandstand colleagues read out numerous ‘thinking of you Andrew, get well soon Moorey’ messages. My favourite radio commentator suffered a heart attack last week and is recovering in a Sydney hospital. After a long day at the athletics track, this was certainly shock news. I have never met Andrew Moore in person, however after decades of listening to him call both rugby league and cricket, I feel like I know him. Many people speak so highly of him, and rightly so.
To Saturday night: in the presence of Sydney 2000 400m gold medallist, Cathy Freeman OLY, and 2014 premiership fullback, Greg Inglis, South Sydney did lift in this fixture, especially in the second half.
Latrell was once again unavailable due to injury, making 11 his number of NRL appearances to date in 2025. Good work, if you can get it.
Latrell’s replacement at fullback, Jye Gray, was simply superb. Gray may only stand 170cm tall, however pound for pound, is there a tougher player in the NRL? Something for the various SEN panels to discuss, perhaps.
The Clive Churchill-George Piggins-Mario Fenech-Sam Burgess inspirational player:
Jye Gray: for those familiar with Ted Lasso and the Roy Kent chant ‘he’s here, he’s there, he’s every (expletive) where!” … Jye was everywhere on Saturday night, in both attack and defence.
The Rampling brothers-Les Davidson-Charlie Frith tackle of the match:
To sum up Jye Gray’s involvement, nine minutes into the second half, he saved two tries and cleaned up a Parramatta kick on the goal line in the same set of six. In a four-point game, his work was monumental.
For good measure, in the 78th minute, Parramatta centre Will Penisini looked certain to score what could have been the match-winning try for the Eels. Gray was ‘Johnny on the spot’ yet again.
The Phil Blake chip n chase best attacking moment:
Tallis Duncan scored two tries running hard on the left edge, as many rugby league types like to describe things these days. Cody’s pass to put Duncan through a gap on that left edge was classy. Cody, who turns 36 in January, came off the bench in his comeback match (his ninth appearance for season 2025). Good work, if you can get it.
South Sydney rounds out this largely forgettable 2025 NRL season with the following sequence of matches: St George-Illawarra, the bye, and the Roosters in the final round.
Full Time: South Sydney 20 defeated Parramatta 16
South Sydney team list: Gray, Johnston, Tass, Bentley-Hape, Munro, Ward, Humphreys, Havili, Mamouzelos, Keppie, Host, Duncan, Arrow (capt.) bench: Le Blanc, Smith, Fletcher, Cody.
South Sydney points: tries (4) Munro 14’, Mamouzelos 35’, Duncan 53’ & 65’, goals: Humphreys 36’, Ward 66’
Half-time: Parramatta 12-10
Penalties: South Sydney 9-4
Referee: Gerard Sutton, Bunker: Matt Noyen
Attendance: 21, 395
Highlights:
2025 NRL Match Highlights | Rabbitohs v Eels | Round 24
Press conference:
Wayne’s great reaction to (probably) missing out on the wooden spoon ? | Rabbitohs press conference
2025 Rabbit in the Vineyard player of the year points:
3 – Jye Gray, 2 – Tallis Duncan, 1 – Jai Arrow
Progressive player of the year points:
25 – Jye Gray, 20 – Keon Koloamatangi, 16 – Tallis Duncan, 12 – Alex Johnston, 11 – Jamie Humphreys, 10 – Lachlan Hubner, 8 – Jai Arrow, 7 – Campbell Graham, 6 – Jack Weighton & Latrell, 4 – Brandon Smith 2 – Liam Le Blanc, Davvy Moale, Sean Keppie, 1 – Trent Dodd, Euan Aitken, Peter Mamouzelos, Cody.
NB: 2023 and 2024 winner: Cameron Murray
SOUTH SYDNEY FULL WEEKEND RESULTS:
NSW Cup: Wests 42 defeated South Sydney 24 at Redfern Oval (13th:5 wins, 18 losses)
Flegg: Tigers 42 defeated South Sydney 6 at Lidcombe Oval (13th:5 wins, 17 losses)
NSW Women’s: Parramatta 26 defeated South Syndey 8 at Redfern Oval (5th:4 wins, 1 draw, 2 losses)
World Athletics championships: from 13 September, steamed on both SBS and Channel 9.
BAROSSA VALLEY RED WINE OF THE WEEK:
Neldner Road 2022 Shiraz
Russel Hansen, South Sydney football club diamond member 6199, lives in Nuriootpa, Barossa Valley, South Australia.
His golden retriever, Murray, is named after the South Sydney captain.
Twitter/X: @Rabbit in the Vineyard @Russel_Hansen
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About Russel Hansen
Russel Hansen Has worked in schools for over thirty years – as a teacher, coach, coach educator, sports coordinator and in pastoral care roles. Whilst at Brisbane Boys’ College as Director of Athletics, he led teams to six GPS premierships in track and field, and cross country. He has coached (athletics) at all levels from school to international. His squad at the University of Queensland (to January 2023) included Lachlan Kennedy OLY, Paris 4x100m relay runner, Australian record holder. He is married to Heidi, a Primary school principal, and is father to two adult daughters. Twitter: @Russel_Hansen
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RITV, ditto re Andrew Moore. Double plus ditto re Jye Gray. I’ll be interested to see how many Dally M votes he gets for the season. I also contrast his body on the line, totally committed, high work rate, team man approach to the crash through or crash flash of Reece Walsh. Any chance of a swap?
IJH: Jye Gray in the Dally M: he was leading the count earlier in the season – then Uncle Wayne moved him to the bench to accommodate BLM … Jye even played a game in the reggies for ‘match fitness’ just before BLM left Heffron to join NSW Origin camp.
Will be interesting to see how many votes Jye polls … several more than BML, I expect!
Walsh: yeh, nah, not a fan!!